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Justice News

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Southern District of Texas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Assistant Branch Manager Indicted For Bank Embezzlement

HOUSTON – Hannah Gonzales, 24, of Houston, has been arrested following the return of an 11-count indictment alleging she embezzled from International Bank of Commerce (IBC), United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.

Gonzales was arrested this morning without incident. She is expected to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frances Stacy at 2:00 today.

According to the indictment returned Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013, Gonzales was an assistant branch manager at IBC. During 2010-11, Gonzales allegedly began withdrawing money from CD accounts of customers without their authorization. The indictment further alleges she chose customers who were either elderly or out of the country in order to reduce the chance she would get caught. By the time she was fired in July 2011, Gonzales had allegedly withdrawn almost $100,000.

The indictment also indicates she took money from her teller boxes without authorization. Gonzales allegedly conducted transactions in which there was no customer in addition to simply taking customer’s cash deposits without placing the cash into her teller box. On the day she was fired, IBC’s audits revealed she was short approximately an additional $24,000.

The indictment also includes notice of the government’s intent to seek a forfeiture of approximately $124,000.

If convicted, she faces up to 30 years on each count of conviction as well as a possible $1 million fine.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Sharad S. Khandelwal is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.